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February 22, 2014 - Karen G., ISB
Elvis and the Underdogs by Jenny Lee
From Jenny Lee, writer on the Disney Channel show Shake It Up!, the number-one-rated kids' show in the country, this feel-good middle-grade novel is about a sickly boy whose life is turned upside down when he gets a therapy dog . . . who can talk!
Benji Wendell Barnsworth is a small ten-year-old boy with a big personality. Born premature, Benji is sickly, accident-prone, and at the hospital so often he even has his own punch card. So when Benji wakes up one day from a particularly bad spell, his doctors take the radical step of suggesting he get a therapy dog. But when a massive crate arrives at Benji's house, out walks a two-hundred-pound Newfoundland who can talk! And boy, is he bossy.
In this hilarious and heartwarming friendship story in the tradition of bestselling authors Gordon Korman and Carl Hiaasen, Elvis brings out the dog lover in the most surprising people and shows Benji that making new friends may not be as scary as he once thought. February 17, 2014 - Nadine R., ISB
Flora & Ulysses --the illuminated adventures by Kate DiCamillo (2013) - fantasy
Grades 3-6. The story begins with a vacuum cleaner. And a squirrel. Or, to be more precise, a squirrel who gets sucked into a Ulysses Super Suction wielded by Flora’s neighbor, Mrs. Tickham. The rather hairless squirrel that is spit out is not the same one that went in. That squirrel had only one thought: “I’m hungry.” After Flora performs CPR, the rescued squirrel, newly named Ulysses, is still hungry, but now he has many thoughts in his head. Foremost is his consideration of Flora’s suggestion that perhaps he is a superhero like The Amazing Incandesto, whose comic-book adventures Flora read with her father. (Drawing on comic-strip elements, Campbell’s illustrations here work wonderfully well.) Since Flora’s father and mother have split up, Flora has become a confirmed and defiant cynic. Yet it is hard to remain a cynic while one’s heart is opening to a squirrel who can type (“Squirtl. I am . . . born anew”), who can fly, and who adores Flora. Newbery winner DiCamillo is a master storyteller, and not just because she creates characters who dance off the pages and plots, whether epic or small, that never fail to engage and delight readers. Her biggest strength is exposing the truths that open and heal the human heart. She believes in possibilities and forgiveness and teaches her audience that the salt of life can be cut with the right measure of love. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: DiCamillo has a devoted following, plus this book has an extensive marketing campaign. That equals demand.
February 14, 2014 - Karen G. ISB: Middle School Get Me Out of Here by James Paterson
Booklist (May 1, 2012 (Vol. 108, No. 17))
Grades 4-7. In this sequel to Middle School, the Worst Years of My Life (2011), seventh-grader Rafe, his mom, and his sister move in with Grandma after Mom loses her job, thus ending Rafe’s opportunity to attend alternative arts school Airbrook Air. Luckily, a former teacher recommends him to a nearby public arts school, where he makes a friend and launches Operation: Get a Life—a tempered version of his sixth-grade plan, this one involving big-city adventures. After Rafe is set up for shoplifting (by his supposed friend) and bullied for his honesty, he runs away, resulting in a return to his old town, where Airbrook Air awaits. Short chapters and a partially graphic format are sure to appeal. Subplots involving Rafe’s missing father; adventures with his imaginary brother and muse, Leo; and Rafe’s emerging talent as an artist are also well handled, although they create a more subdued tone than in the previous book. Maturity is on Rafe’s horizon, but hopefully readers will be able to vicariously experience his eighth-grade adventures before it arrives. The Thing About Luck by Cynthia Kadohata
Grades 4-8. It seems that if Summer’s Japanese American family didn’t have bad luck, they’d have no luck at all. Certainly good luck (kouun) is elusive. Consider that Summer has had malaria; her little brother, Jaz, is friendless; her parents have to fly to Japan to take care of elderly relatives; and her grandmother (Obaa-chan) and grandfather (Jii-chan) must pay the mortgage by coming out of retirement to work for a custom harvesting company. When the siblings accompany their grandparents on the harvest, Summer helps her grandmother, a cook, while Jaz is Jaz: intense, focused, and bad-tempered. At first, things go reasonably well, but then Jii-chan becomes sick, and it appears that it might be up to Summer to save the day. Will she succeed? Kadohata has written a gentle family story that is unusual in its focus on the mechanics of wheat harvesting. Readers may skim the more arcane aspects of the labor-intensive work, focusing instead on the emotionally rich and often humorous dynamics of Summer’s relationship with her old-fashioned but endearing grandparents and her troubled younger brother. Another engaging novel from the Newbery Medal–winning Kadohata. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: With the blogosphere already starting to buzz, and author appearances and web promotions planned, Kadohata’s already sizable audience will likely increase with this title.
January 27, 2014 - Karen G. - ISB: Zombie Baseball Beatdown by Paolo Bacigalupi. (appeals to reluctant readers; great cover; famous author)
Booklist (July 2013 (Vol. 109, No. 21))
Grades 4-7. Printz-winning Bacigalupi writing a middle-grade zombie novel? Yes, it really happened, and yes, it’s pretty darn good. Milrow Meats, the meat-packing plant in Delbe, Iowa, is up to something. Pals Rabi, Miguel, and Joe can tell from the ungodly stink, the anxious behavior of the Mexicans who work there, and—oh yeah—their zombified Little League coach, who tries to nosh their brains. Further sleuthing reveals that SuperGrow growth supplement is being fed to the cows, creating undead bovines that, in turn, create “zombie burgers.” And what happens when folks start snarfing those burgers? Though the plot synopsis recalls such gleeful splatter fests as John Kloepfer’s Zombie Chasers series, in Bacigalupi’s hands it feels closer to Walter Dean Myers’ Cruisers series, with much of the story delving into issues often overlooked in youth fiction: the capricious treatment of immigrant workers, the absence of options for the poor, and the questionable record of the USDA. Simultaneously smart, funny, and icky, this book asks a tough question: Is it worth looking the other way in order to save yourself? HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The sheer improbability of a big-name author delivering a project like this should generate a strong Venn diagram of commercial and critical interest.
Grades 5-8. A trio of adolescents goes on a quest to satisfy the demands of a ghost. Sounds like standard middle-grade fare, but in Black’s absolutely assured hands, it is anything but. Zach, Poppy, and Alice have been playing the same make-believe game for years, one involving pirates and mermaids and, of course, the Great Queen—a creepy, bone-china doll at Poppy’s house. Then Poppy reveals that she’s been haunted by a girl whose ground-up bones lie inside the Great Queen, so the doll must be properly buried. Begrudgingly, the three agree to play one last game and hope against hope for “a real adventure, the kind that changed you.” With heart-wrenching swiftness, Black paints a picture of friends at the precipice of adulthood; they can sense the tentative peace of youth that is about to be demolished. The tightly focused, realistic tale—bladed with a hint of fairy-tale darkness—feels cut from the very soul of youth: there is no sentimentality, no cuteness, only the painful, contradictory longing to move forward in one’s life without leaving anything behind. Stories about the importance of stories (“Maybe no stories were lies,” thinks Zach) don’t come much more forthright and affecting than this one. Wheeler’s sketches ameliorate some of the tension and dread—not a bad thing. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Black’s best-selling Spiderwick Chronicles pave the way for this powerful stand-alone, which comes with an author tour, in-theater promos, and more.
Welcome to your Awesome Robot by Viviane Schwarz (breaks girl sterotypes)
Booklist (May 15, 2013 (Vol. 109, No. 18))
Preschool-Grade 3. When a large box labeled “Welcome to your AWESOME ROBOT” arrives at a girl’s home, her mother helps her open it and retrieve the only contents: a booklet of instructions. As it turns out, the empty box, upended and placed over the child’s head and body, is the robot—or it will be once a number of additions and alterations suggested in the manual are completed. Most of the right-hand pages reproduce instructions from the manual, while the facing pages show the child and her mother carrying them out in colorful, stylized cartoons complete with comments, banter, and conversations. The girl is serious and creative, while her mother is practical and supportive. Though a couple of illustrations suggest filling in the blanks and cutting out the pages, they could easily be copied instead. Inventive, amusing, and completely engaging, this large-format book shows kids how to turn a cardboard box into the robot of their dreams.
Brush of the Gods by Lenore Look (China Connection)
Grades K-3. Swirling back through the mists of Chinese history, collaborators Look and So bring children the story of Wu Daozi, an artist with magic in his brush. As a boy in the late seventh century, Daozi was taught calligraphy—at least the monks attempted to teach him. However, instead of letters, worms and horse tails fall from his brush, and when he takes his art into the city, his flowers and clouds are so full of vivacity and life that people from all over come to admire his work. But what’s this? As Daozi grows older, he’s startled to see the butterflies he draws take flight from the paper. A camel walks away from the wall. His crowds of followers dissipate, perhaps because they don’t believe the art has come to life, but eventually, a new generation brings him to such heights of popularity that the emperor invites Daozi to paint a magnificent mural on a palace wall—one that takes him the rest of his life. The author’s note calls this picture book a reimagined life of the painter who brought spirit and motion to Chinese art. Certainly, Look and So have dipped deep into the well of artistry and creativity to produce a book that captures Daozi’s essence. The richly colored artwork is stunning in both its scope and particulars; inky calligraphy brushstrokes accent people and places. And the words are equally well chosen: the elderly Dazoi is drenched in the moon’s silver tears. This combination of talents happily never forgets its audience in an offering as child-appealing and whimsical as it is handsome.
Beyond the Moongate: true stories of 1920s China by Elizabeth Quan (China connection)
Booklist (April 15, 2013 (Vol. 109, No. 16))
Grades 3-6. In Once Upon a Full Moon (2007), Quan wrote about her family’s journey from Canada to her parents’ home in China. Now, they have arrived, and the vignettes that make up this book describe what it was like in the 1920s for this family of five children to make their home in a country where everything is different. The book is beautifully designed—creamy pages host the one-page events, which are more scraps of memory than stories. Quan, now 90, also provides charming, childlike illustrations that extend the text. The tone of the telling is neutral, whether Quan and her sister are running into a pair of pigs, or pirates are invading the village. A bride comes to the village and paints the girls’ faces, much to their grandmother’s anger. But two events demand further explanation in an afterword: the fates of Grandmother and a baby brother born in China, who is not allowed to return home when the family’s visa runs out after two years. A tender remembrance that will reach today’s readers.
Grumbles from the Forest: fairy tale poems with a twist. by Jane Yolen (poetry that would go with everyone's fairy tale unit)
Booklist (April 15, 2013 (Vol. 109, No. 16))
Grades 3-6. In Once Upon a Full Moon (2007), Quan wrote about her family’s journey from Canada to her parents’ home in China. Now, they have arrived, and the vignettes that make up this book describe what it was like in the 1920s for this family of five children to make their home in a country where everything is different. The book is beautifully designed—creamy pages host the one-page events, which are more scraps of memory than stories. Quan, now 90, also provides charming, childlike illustrations that extend the text. The tone of the telling is neutral, whether Quan and her sister are running into a pair of pigs, or pirates are invading the village. A bride comes to the village and paints the girls’ faces, much to their grandmother’s anger. But two events demand further explanation in an afterword: the fates of Grandmother and a baby brother born in China, who is not allowed to return home when the family’s visa runs out after two years. A tender remembrance that will reach today’s readers.
Jack Strong Takes A Stand. by Tommy Greenwald (would appeal to our kids that are overscheduled)
Kirkus Reviews (July 15, 2013)
Jack Strongis an ordinary kid with an extraordinary schedule who finally chooses to become a couch potato to make his point. Cello, soccer, tennis,EMT training, Chinese: Jack's parents, especially his dad, expect him to be a well-rounded person when it becomes time to apply for college, and to this end, they are filling his days with an overload of extracurricular activities. But what Jack really wants is more time on his couch, where he canspend some quality time daydreaming. One afternoon, Jack can't take it anymore and goes on strike; he refuses to get off the couch until his parents agree to let him quit the activities he doesn't like to do. Publicity and hilarity ensue, which Jack finds a nice change, but soon he realizes there are greater things worth standing up for, like the very family he's angry at.Greenwald, author of the Charlie Joe Jackson series, writes with a relaxed tone that young readers will identify with, and he touches on subjects that kids and parents alike will find relevant, capturing the conundrum of overscheduling with poignancy and humor. While a few plot points are a little far-fetched, overall the book offers a winning combination of ethics and slapstick. Drawings by Mendes are simple but effective. A cautionary tale the whole family will find amusing and enlightening. (Fiction. 8-11)
Razia's Ray of Hope: one girl's dram of an education. (based on a true story; real life fiction)
Kirkus Reviews (August 1, 2013)
The United States is still involved in Afghanistan, and interest in girls' education in that war-torncountry isa strong topic of concern. Young Razia wants to attend the new girls' school that is being built in her village, but her grandfather is her only ally. Her older brothers, uneducated themselves, don't want her to attend. Little do they know that she has already taught herself to read and that she is independent enough to ask the head of the school to convince her family. It is difficult to understand why Aziz, her eldest brother, wields such power in the family, but teacher Razia Jan, modeled after a real Afghani-American who has returned to her country to spread the hope of education, knows she has to persuade him. (Confusingly, the teacher shares the protagonist's name.) However, it is young Razia herself who proves to Aziz that education can be useful when she uses her secret literacy to give him the correct dose of medicinewhen he falls ill. Using collage techniques that employphotography, traditional fabrics and realistic pencil sketches, Verelst creates a striking complement to this realistic story of contemporary life. The explanatory material at the end and the classroom activities are useful for educational settings. Purposeful in a positive way, this imaginatively illustrated book should open readers' eyes to issues facing children who live in very different circumstances.(Picturebook. 8-11)
Think Again! False Facts Attacked and Myths Busted by Clive Gifford (appeals to our fact kids)
Booklist (August 2013 (Vol. 109, No. 22))
Grades 4-8. Organized into five broadly themed sections—the human body, the animal world, science, history, and popular culture—this book tackles commonly held and commonly repeated mistaken beliefs head-on. Each falsehood is debunked in straightforward and factual explanations grounded in real scientific research, incorporating discussions of why the myth persists. The fact-laden text is bolstered by silly and engaging photo collages and brief but interesting trivia sidebars. To a casual reader, the book may seem to be yet another study in myth busting, but it actually explores very abstract concepts, such as the evolving nature of knowledge and reasons for the rise and perpetuation of false information. Aside from providing an immensely entertaining read, Gifford encourages kids to stop taking facts at face value and to think critically, an essential skill for the information age. A “Truth Trek” in the back matter provides further reading on the web, in print, and at relevant museums and sites for each section.
The Show Must Go On by Kate Klise (good beginning chapter book for grade 3 students)
School Library Journal (August 1, 2013)
Gr 3-5-The owner of Sir Sidney's Circus needs a vacation, and after reviewing and interviewing many potential circus managers, he chooses Barnabas Brambles, a graduate of the University of Piccadilly Circus in London with a degree in lion taming. But Barnabas is in need of making money and changes Sir Sidney's Circus schedule and pricing for his own profit and treats the animals poorly. Things seem to go wrong almost from the start, and he cancels all but the final show of the week. Barnabas is a complete fraud and knows nothing of circus life, yet Sir Sidney believes that the scoundrel can be a better man tomorrow. Whimsical illustrations are generously positioned throughout the text and play a key role in the book's pacing. Beginning chapter-book readers will thoroughly enjoy this fun and fast-paced title, which has lessons in kindness along the way.-
Hyde and Shriek by David Lubar (humor)
Publishers Weekly Annex (February 18, 2013)
The first book in the Monsterrific Tales series is narrated by Miss Clevis, a science teacher who accidentally puts chemicals for a school experiment in her breakfast drink. At school, when a colleague gives Miss Clevis a gift, she has waves of dizziness and transforms into Jackie, her positive-thinking 11-year-old self. She is soon befriended by a bubbly student named Dawn, who assumes Jackie is new at school. But an encounter with a mean teacher triggers another change: Miss Clevis becomes Ms. Hyde, a mean-spirited substitute teacher who delights in tormenting her students. Lubar's plotting can grow a bit repetitive as Miss Clevis shifts from one persona to the other, bringing out the best in people (as Jackie) and the worst in them (as Ms. Hyde). Though the novel offers some musings on good and evil, Lubar (the Weenies series) puts the emphasis on comedy, not chills, in a story that slots nicely between The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Miss Nelson Is Missing! Bermudez gives the story a cinematic sense of drama in his b&w spot illustrations.
Navigating Early by Claire Vanderpool (Historical fiction, adventure, Newbery nominee) recommended by student
Library Media Connection (August/September 2013)
Jack Baker is your average 13-year-old boy growing up in Kansas at the conclusion of World War II. After his mother's death, his Navy Captain father moves them to Maine. Being the new kid at a boarding school is tough. Jack is attracted to Early Auden, who is an autistic mathematical savant fascinated by Pi. The boys become fast friends, and embark on a series of adventures while crossing paths with random characters who breathe life into Early's tales. Vanderpool captivates readers as she intertwines the stories of multiple characters in a way that culminates in a satisfactory ending. The writing is free-spirited and whimsical at times, but easily read by a wide range of readers. With the major male characters in the novel, expect male readers to be attracted to this story, but don't discount the level of interest from females as well. The tale appeals to a variety of fans of historical fiction and fantasy.
Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee (fantasy)
Kirkus Reviews starred (November 1, 2013)
Eleven-year-old Ophelia faces her fears to help a nameless boy imprisoned in a surreal museum by the evil Snow Queen in this contemporary fairy tale. An asthmatic girl who believes in science and eschews fantasy, Ophelia's curious but admittedly not very brave. Grieving her mother's recent death, Ophelia arrives in a snowy "foreign city" with her father and sister. While her curator father organizes an exhibition of swords, Ophelia wanders the vast museum until she discovers "The Marvelous Boy," trapped by the Snow Queen for three centuries in a hidden room. A spell preventing the Snow Queen from killing the boy expires in three days, when he will die and the world will freeze unless Ophelia can free him, locate his magical sword and identify the "One Other" to defeat the Snow Queen. Though she's unsure she believes the boy's fantastical story, Ophelia gradually heeds an inner voice urging her to follow her heart. Alternating between Ophelia's bizarre quest to save the boy and the retelling of his story, the intense plot moves Ophelia beyond grief to fulfill what she realizes is her destiny. Armed with her inhaler, practical Ophelia proves a formidable heroine in a frozen landscape. A well-wrought, poignant and original reworking of Andersen's "The Snow Queen"
Aphrodite: Goddess of Love by George O'Connor (graphic novel)
Kirkus Reviews (November 15, 2013)
O'Connor spotlights the goddess of beauty and love in this solid addition to his Olympians series. Aphrodite's three attendants, the Charites, narrate a slightly-too-long recap of the origin of the Titans and Olympians, leading up to the goddess's birth. This telling emphasizes the power of Eros as an independent force in order to highlight the dangerous potential of Aphrodite, Eros' embodiment. After a series of shorter myths, various affairs and the introduction of Aphrodite's capricious son (a mischievous cherub she names Eros, of course), the story concentrates on the beauty contest of the goddesses Aphrodite, Hera and Athena, judged by the mortal Paris. The problematic female stereotypes inherent in a story of powerful women fighting over looks are brought to center stage and addressed by the characters. They find the contest "beneath" them and "debasing" even while participating and reframe the contest as one of power by offering Paris boons--Hera would make him a rich king, Athena a conquering hero. Aphrodite offers him the most beautiful woman in the world: Helen of Troy. Graphically, O'Connor compensates for the lack of action in Aphrodite's myths by taking advantage of the comic-book format for humor, with quick lines of dialogue and humorous reaction shots. This neatly nuanced take on Aphrodite shows respect for the ultrafeminine heroine
The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer (If we have one fantasy and magical realism book on the list, this, or it's sequel-The Land of Stories: The Enchanteress Retuns, should be it. A big hit.
Booklist (May 15, 2012 (Vol. 108, No. 18))
Grades 4-6. It’s been a hard year for twins Alex and Connor since their father passed. They miss his stories, especially the fairy tales he used to teach them about life, as well as soothe their fears. They know better now: life rarely has a happy ending. But then a magic book from their grandmother, a gift on their twelfth birthdays, sends the twins hurtling into the Land of Stories, where happy endings are usually expected. Their biggest concern is gathering the materials needed for the Wishing Spell, which will send them back home. So begins a scavenger hunt for some of the most recognizable symbols and characters in fantasy lore: Cinderella’s glass slippers, a lock of hair from Rapunzel, tree bark from Little Red Riding Hood’s basket, etc. Golden Globe–winner Colfer writes for an audience that will likely include plenty of teen readers (i.e., fans of Glee), and generally they will not be disappointed by the giddy earnestness of the writing, cut with a hint of melancholy. Dorman's evocative spot illustrations kick off each chapter.
Two offerings from the popular "I Survived Series" recommended by our students: (Historical Fiction)
The Japanese Tsunami (2011) or The Nazi Invasion (2014) or The San Francisco Earthquake 1906
How to post a nomination
February 22, 2014 - Karen G., ISB
Elvis and the Underdogs by Jenny Lee
From Jenny Lee, writer on the Disney Channel show Shake It Up!, the number-one-rated kids' show in the country, this feel-good middle-grade novel is about a sickly boy whose life is turned upside down when he gets a therapy dog . . . who can talk!
Benji Wendell Barnsworth is a small ten-year-old boy with a big personality. Born premature, Benji is sickly, accident-prone, and at the hospital so often he even has his own punch card. So when Benji wakes up one day from a particularly bad spell, his doctors take the radical step of suggesting he get a therapy dog. But when a massive crate arrives at Benji's house, out walks a two-hundred-pound Newfoundland who can talk! And boy, is he bossy.
In this hilarious and heartwarming friendship story in the tradition of bestselling authors Gordon Korman and Carl Hiaasen, Elvis brings out the dog lover in the most surprising people and shows Benji that making new friends may not be as scary as he once thought.
February 17, 2014 - Nadine R., ISB
Flora & Ulysses --the illuminated adventures by Kate DiCamillo (2013) - fantasy
Grades 3-6. The story begins with a vacuum cleaner. And a squirrel. Or, to be more precise, a squirrel who gets sucked into a Ulysses Super Suction wielded by Flora’s neighbor, Mrs. Tickham. The rather hairless squirrel that is spit out is not the same one that went in. That squirrel had only one thought: “I’m hungry.” After Flora performs CPR, the rescued squirrel, newly named Ulysses, is still hungry, but now he has many thoughts in his head. Foremost is his consideration of Flora’s suggestion that perhaps he is a superhero like The Amazing Incandesto, whose comic-book adventures Flora read with her father. (Drawing on comic-strip elements, Campbell’s illustrations here work wonderfully well.) Since Flora’s father and mother have split up, Flora has become a confirmed and defiant cynic. Yet it is hard to remain a cynic while one’s heart is opening to a squirrel who can type (“Squirtl. I am . . . born anew”), who can fly, and who adores Flora. Newbery winner DiCamillo is a master storyteller, and not just because she creates characters who dance off the pages and plots, whether epic or small, that never fail to engage and delight readers. Her biggest strength is exposing the truths that open and heal the human heart. She believes in possibilities and forgiveness and teaches her audience that the salt of life can be cut with the right measure of love. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: DiCamillo has a devoted following, plus this book has an extensive marketing campaign. That equals demand.February 14, 2014 - Karen G. ISB:
Middle School Get Me Out of Here by James Paterson
Booklist (May 1, 2012 (Vol. 108, No. 17))
Grades 4-7. In this sequel to Middle School, the Worst Years of My Life (2011), seventh-grader Rafe, his mom, and his sister move in with Grandma after Mom loses her job, thus ending Rafe’s opportunity to attend alternative arts school Airbrook Air. Luckily, a former teacher recommends him to a nearby public arts school, where he makes a friend and launches Operation: Get a Life—a tempered version of his sixth-grade plan, this one involving big-city adventures. After Rafe is set up for shoplifting (by his supposed friend) and bullied for his honesty, he runs away, resulting in a return to his old town, where Airbrook Air awaits. Short chapters and a partially graphic format are sure to appeal. Subplots involving Rafe’s missing father; adventures with his imaginary brother and muse, Leo; and Rafe’s emerging talent as an artist are also well handled, although they create a more subdued tone than in the previous book. Maturity is on Rafe’s horizon, but hopefully readers will be able to vicariously experience his eighth-grade adventures before it arrives.The Thing About Luck by Cynthia Kadohata
Booklist starred (April 1, 2013 (Vol. 109, No. 15))
Grades 4-8. It seems that if Summer’s Japanese American family didn’t have bad luck, they’d have no luck at all. Certainly good luck (kouun) is elusive. Consider that Summer has had malaria; her little brother, Jaz, is friendless; her parents have to fly to Japan to take care of elderly relatives; and her grandmother (Obaa-chan) and grandfather (Jii-chan) must pay the mortgage by coming out of retirement to work for a custom harvesting company. When the siblings accompany their grandparents on the harvest, Summer helps her grandmother, a cook, while Jaz is Jaz: intense, focused, and bad-tempered. At first, things go reasonably well, but then Jii-chan becomes sick, and it appears that it might be up to Summer to save the day. Will she succeed? Kadohata has written a gentle family story that is unusual in its focus on the mechanics of wheat harvesting. Readers may skim the more arcane aspects of the labor-intensive work, focusing instead on the emotionally rich and often humorous dynamics of Summer’s relationship with her old-fashioned but endearing grandparents and her troubled younger brother. Another engaging novel from the Newbery Medal–winning Kadohata. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: With the blogosphere already starting to buzz, and author appearances and web promotions planned, Kadohata’s already sizable audience will likely increase with this title.January 27, 2014 - Karen G. - ISB:
Zombie Baseball Beatdown by Paolo Bacigalupi. (appeals to reluctant readers; great cover; famous author)
Booklist (July 2013 (Vol. 109, No. 21))
Grades 4-7. Printz-winning Bacigalupi writing a middle-grade zombie novel? Yes, it really happened, and yes, it’s pretty darn good. Milrow Meats, the meat-packing plant in Delbe, Iowa, is up to something. Pals Rabi, Miguel, and Joe can tell from the ungodly stink, the anxious behavior of the Mexicans who work there, and—oh yeah—their zombified Little League coach, who tries to nosh their brains. Further sleuthing reveals that SuperGrow growth supplement is being fed to the cows, creating undead bovines that, in turn, create “zombie burgers.” And what happens when folks start snarfing those burgers? Though the plot synopsis recalls such gleeful splatter fests as John Kloepfer’s Zombie Chasers series, in Bacigalupi’s hands it feels closer to Walter Dean Myers’ Cruisers series, with much of the story delving into issues often overlooked in youth fiction: the capricious treatment of immigrant workers, the absence of options for the poor, and the questionable record of the USDA. Simultaneously smart, funny, and icky, this book asks a tough question: Is it worth looking the other way in order to save yourself? HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The sheer improbability of a big-name author delivering a project like this should generate a strong Venn diagram of commercial and critical interest.Doll Bones by Holly Black
Booklist starred (March 1, 2013 (Vol. 109, No. 13))
Grades 5-8. A trio of adolescents goes on a quest to satisfy the demands of a ghost. Sounds like standard middle-grade fare, but in Black’s absolutely assured hands, it is anything but. Zach, Poppy, and Alice have been playing the same make-believe game for years, one involving pirates and mermaids and, of course, the Great Queen—a creepy, bone-china doll at Poppy’s house. Then Poppy reveals that she’s been haunted by a girl whose ground-up bones lie inside the Great Queen, so the doll must be properly buried. Begrudgingly, the three agree to play one last game and hope against hope for “a real adventure, the kind that changed you.” With heart-wrenching swiftness, Black paints a picture of friends at the precipice of adulthood; they can sense the tentative peace of youth that is about to be demolished. The tightly focused, realistic tale—bladed with a hint of fairy-tale darkness—feels cut from the very soul of youth: there is no sentimentality, no cuteness, only the painful, contradictory longing to move forward in one’s life without leaving anything behind. Stories about the importance of stories (“Maybe no stories were lies,” thinks Zach) don’t come much more forthright and affecting than this one. Wheeler’s sketches ameliorate some of the tension and dread—not a bad thing. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Black’s best-selling Spiderwick Chronicles pave the way for this powerful stand-alone, which comes with an author tour, in-theater promos, and more.Welcome to your Awesome Robot by Viviane Schwarz (breaks girl sterotypes)
Booklist (May 15, 2013 (Vol. 109, No. 18))
Preschool-Grade 3. When a large box labeled “Welcome to your AWESOME ROBOT” arrives at a girl’s home, her mother helps her open it and retrieve the only contents: a booklet of instructions. As it turns out, the empty box, upended and placed over the child’s head and body, is the robot—or it will be once a number of additions and alterations suggested in the manual are completed. Most of the right-hand pages reproduce instructions from the manual, while the facing pages show the child and her mother carrying them out in colorful, stylized cartoons complete with comments, banter, and conversations. The girl is serious and creative, while her mother is practical and supportive. Though a couple of illustrations suggest filling in the blanks and cutting out the pages, they could easily be copied instead. Inventive, amusing, and completely engaging, this large-format book shows kids how to turn a cardboard box into the robot of their dreams.Brush of the Gods by Lenore Look (China Connection)
Booklist starred (May 15, 2013 (Vol. 109, No. 18))
Grades K-3. Swirling back through the mists of Chinese history, collaborators Look and So bring children the story of Wu Daozi, an artist with magic in his brush. As a boy in the late seventh century, Daozi was taught calligraphy—at least the monks attempted to teach him. However, instead of letters, worms and horse tails fall from his brush, and when he takes his art into the city, his flowers and clouds are so full of vivacity and life that people from all over come to admire his work. But what’s this? As Daozi grows older, he’s startled to see the butterflies he draws take flight from the paper. A camel walks away from the wall. His crowds of followers dissipate, perhaps because they don’t believe the art has come to life, but eventually, a new generation brings him to such heights of popularity that the emperor invites Daozi to paint a magnificent mural on a palace wall—one that takes him the rest of his life. The author’s note calls this picture book a reimagined life of the painter who brought spirit and motion to Chinese art. Certainly, Look and So have dipped deep into the well of artistry and creativity to produce a book that captures Daozi’s essence. The richly colored artwork is stunning in both its scope and particulars; inky calligraphy brushstrokes accent people and places. And the words are equally well chosen: the elderly Dazoi is drenched in the moon’s silver tears. This combination of talents happily never forgets its audience in an offering as child-appealing and whimsical as it is handsome.Beyond the Moongate: true stories of 1920s China by Elizabeth Quan (China connection)
Booklist (April 15, 2013 (Vol. 109, No. 16))
Grades 3-6. In Once Upon a Full Moon (2007), Quan wrote about her family’s journey from Canada to her parents’ home in China. Now, they have arrived, and the vignettes that make up this book describe what it was like in the 1920s for this family of five children to make their home in a country where everything is different. The book is beautifully designed—creamy pages host the one-page events, which are more scraps of memory than stories. Quan, now 90, also provides charming, childlike illustrations that extend the text. The tone of the telling is neutral, whether Quan and her sister are running into a pair of pigs, or pirates are invading the village. A bride comes to the village and paints the girls’ faces, much to their grandmother’s anger. But two events demand further explanation in an afterword: the fates of Grandmother and a baby brother born in China, who is not allowed to return home when the family’s visa runs out after two years. A tender remembrance that will reach today’s readers.Grumbles from the Forest: fairy tale poems with a twist. by Jane Yolen (poetry that would go with everyone's fairy tale unit)
Booklist (April 15, 2013 (Vol. 109, No. 16))
Grades 3-6. In Once Upon a Full Moon (2007), Quan wrote about her family’s journey from Canada to her parents’ home in China. Now, they have arrived, and the vignettes that make up this book describe what it was like in the 1920s for this family of five children to make their home in a country where everything is different. The book is beautifully designed—creamy pages host the one-page events, which are more scraps of memory than stories. Quan, now 90, also provides charming, childlike illustrations that extend the text. The tone of the telling is neutral, whether Quan and her sister are running into a pair of pigs, or pirates are invading the village. A bride comes to the village and paints the girls’ faces, much to their grandmother’s anger. But two events demand further explanation in an afterword: the fates of Grandmother and a baby brother born in China, who is not allowed to return home when the family’s visa runs out after two years. A tender remembrance that will reach today’s readers.Jack Strong Takes A Stand. by Tommy Greenwald (would appeal to our kids that are overscheduled)
Kirkus Reviews (July 15, 2013)
Jack Strongis an ordinary kid with an extraordinary schedule who finally chooses to become a couch potato to make his point. Cello, soccer, tennis,EMT training, Chinese: Jack's parents, especially his dad, expect him to be a well-rounded person when it becomes time to apply for college, and to this end, they are filling his days with an overload of extracurricular activities. But what Jack really wants is more time on his couch, where he canspend some quality time daydreaming. One afternoon, Jack can't take it anymore and goes on strike; he refuses to get off the couch until his parents agree to let him quit the activities he doesn't like to do. Publicity and hilarity ensue, which Jack finds a nice change, but soon he realizes there are greater things worth standing up for, like the very family he's angry at.Greenwald, author of the Charlie Joe Jackson series, writes with a relaxed tone that young readers will identify with, and he touches on subjects that kids and parents alike will find relevant, capturing the conundrum of overscheduling with poignancy and humor. While a few plot points are a little far-fetched, overall the book offers a winning combination of ethics and slapstick. Drawings by Mendes are simple but effective. A cautionary tale the whole family will find amusing and enlightening. (Fiction. 8-11)Razia's Ray of Hope: one girl's dram of an education. (based on a true story; real life fiction)
Kirkus Reviews (August 1, 2013)
The United States is still involved in Afghanistan, and interest in girls' education in that war-torncountry isa strong topic of concern. Young Razia wants to attend the new girls' school that is being built in her village, but her grandfather is her only ally. Her older brothers, uneducated themselves, don't want her to attend. Little do they know that she has already taught herself to read and that she is independent enough to ask the head of the school to convince her family. It is difficult to understand why Aziz, her eldest brother, wields such power in the family, but teacher Razia Jan, modeled after a real Afghani-American who has returned to her country to spread the hope of education, knows she has to persuade him. (Confusingly, the teacher shares the protagonist's name.) However, it is young Razia herself who proves to Aziz that education can be useful when she uses her secret literacy to give him the correct dose of medicinewhen he falls ill. Using collage techniques that employphotography, traditional fabrics and realistic pencil sketches, Verelst creates a striking complement to this realistic story of contemporary life. The explanatory material at the end and the classroom activities are useful for educational settings. Purposeful in a positive way, this imaginatively illustrated book should open readers' eyes to issues facing children who live in very different circumstances.(Picturebook. 8-11)Think Again! False Facts Attacked and Myths Busted by Clive Gifford (appeals to our fact kids)
Booklist (August 2013 (Vol. 109, No. 22))
Grades 4-8. Organized into five broadly themed sections—the human body, the animal world, science, history, and popular culture—this book tackles commonly held and commonly repeated mistaken beliefs head-on. Each falsehood is debunked in straightforward and factual explanations grounded in real scientific research, incorporating discussions of why the myth persists. The fact-laden text is bolstered by silly and engaging photo collages and brief but interesting trivia sidebars. To a casual reader, the book may seem to be yet another study in myth busting, but it actually explores very abstract concepts, such as the evolving nature of knowledge and reasons for the rise and perpetuation of false information. Aside from providing an immensely entertaining read, Gifford encourages kids to stop taking facts at face value and to think critically, an essential skill for the information age. A “Truth Trek” in the back matter provides further reading on the web, in print, and at relevant museums and sites for each section.The Show Must Go On by Kate Klise (good beginning chapter book for grade 3 students)
School Library Journal (August 1, 2013)
Gr 3-5-The owner of Sir Sidney's Circus needs a vacation, and after reviewing and interviewing many potential circus managers, he chooses Barnabas Brambles, a graduate of the University of Piccadilly Circus in London with a degree in lion taming. But Barnabas is in need of making money and changes Sir Sidney's Circus schedule and pricing for his own profit and treats the animals poorly. Things seem to go wrong almost from the start, and he cancels all but the final show of the week. Barnabas is a complete fraud and knows nothing of circus life, yet Sir Sidney believes that the scoundrel can be a better man tomorrow. Whimsical illustrations are generously positioned throughout the text and play a key role in the book's pacing. Beginning chapter-book readers will thoroughly enjoy this fun and fast-paced title, which has lessons in kindness along the way.-
Hyde and Shriek by David Lubar (humor)
Publishers Weekly Annex (February 18, 2013)
The first book in the Monsterrific Tales series is narrated by Miss Clevis, a science teacher who accidentally puts chemicals for a school experiment in her breakfast drink. At school, when a colleague gives Miss Clevis a gift, she has waves of dizziness and transforms into Jackie, her positive-thinking 11-year-old self. She is soon befriended by a bubbly student named Dawn, who assumes Jackie is new at school. But an encounter with a mean teacher triggers another change: Miss Clevis becomes Ms. Hyde, a mean-spirited substitute teacher who delights in tormenting her students. Lubar's plotting can grow a bit repetitive as Miss Clevis shifts from one persona to the other, bringing out the best in people (as Jackie) and the worst in them (as Ms. Hyde). Though the novel offers some musings on good and evil, Lubar (the Weenies series) puts the emphasis on comedy, not chills, in a story that slots nicely between The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Miss Nelson Is Missing! Bermudez gives the story a cinematic sense of drama in his b&w spot illustrations.
Navigating Early by Claire Vanderpool (Historical fiction, adventure, Newbery nominee) recommended by student
Library Media Connection (August/September 2013)
Jack Baker is your average 13-year-old boy growing up in Kansas at the conclusion of World War II. After his mother's death, his Navy Captain father moves them to Maine. Being the new kid at a boarding school is tough. Jack is attracted to Early Auden, who is an autistic mathematical savant fascinated by Pi. The boys become fast friends, and embark on a series of adventures while crossing paths with random characters who breathe life into Early's tales. Vanderpool captivates readers as she intertwines the stories of multiple characters in a way that culminates in a satisfactory ending. The writing is free-spirited and whimsical at times, but easily read by a wide range of readers. With the major male characters in the novel, expect male readers to be attracted to this story, but don't discount the level of interest from females as well. The tale appeals to a variety of fans of historical fiction and fantasy.Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee (fantasy)
Kirkus Reviews starred (November 1, 2013)
Eleven-year-old Ophelia faces her fears to help a nameless boy imprisoned in a surreal museum by the evil Snow Queen in this contemporary fairy tale. An asthmatic girl who believes in science and eschews fantasy, Ophelia's curious but admittedly not very brave. Grieving her mother's recent death, Ophelia arrives in a snowy "foreign city" with her father and sister. While her curator father organizes an exhibition of swords, Ophelia wanders the vast museum until she discovers "The Marvelous Boy," trapped by the Snow Queen for three centuries in a hidden room. A spell preventing the Snow Queen from killing the boy expires in three days, when he will die and the world will freeze unless Ophelia can free him, locate his magical sword and identify the "One Other" to defeat the Snow Queen. Though she's unsure she believes the boy's fantastical story, Ophelia gradually heeds an inner voice urging her to follow her heart. Alternating between Ophelia's bizarre quest to save the boy and the retelling of his story, the intense plot moves Ophelia beyond grief to fulfill what she realizes is her destiny. Armed with her inhaler, practical Ophelia proves a formidable heroine in a frozen landscape. A well-wrought, poignant and original reworking of Andersen's "The Snow Queen"Aphrodite: Goddess of Love by George O'Connor (graphic novel)
Kirkus Reviews (November 15, 2013)
O'Connor spotlights the goddess of beauty and love in this solid addition to his Olympians series. Aphrodite's three attendants, the Charites, narrate a slightly-too-long recap of the origin of the Titans and Olympians, leading up to the goddess's birth. This telling emphasizes the power of Eros as an independent force in order to highlight the dangerous potential of Aphrodite, Eros' embodiment. After a series of shorter myths, various affairs and the introduction of Aphrodite's capricious son (a mischievous cherub she names Eros, of course), the story concentrates on the beauty contest of the goddesses Aphrodite, Hera and Athena, judged by the mortal Paris. The problematic female stereotypes inherent in a story of powerful women fighting over looks are brought to center stage and addressed by the characters. They find the contest "beneath" them and "debasing" even while participating and reframe the contest as one of power by offering Paris boons--Hera would make him a rich king, Athena a conquering hero. Aphrodite offers him the most beautiful woman in the world: Helen of Troy. Graphically, O'Connor compensates for the lack of action in Aphrodite's myths by taking advantage of the comic-book format for humor, with quick lines of dialogue and humorous reaction shots. This neatly nuanced take on Aphrodite shows respect for the ultrafeminine heroineThe Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer (If we have one fantasy and magical realism book on the list, this, or it's sequel-The Land of Stories: The Enchanteress Retuns, should be it. A big hit.
Booklist (May 15, 2012 (Vol. 108, No. 18))
Grades 4-6. It’s been a hard year for twins Alex and Connor since their father passed. They miss his stories, especially the fairy tales he used to teach them about life, as well as soothe their fears. They know better now: life rarely has a happy ending. But then a magic book from their grandmother, a gift on their twelfth birthdays, sends the twins hurtling into the Land of Stories, where happy endings are usually expected. Their biggest concern is gathering the materials needed for the Wishing Spell, which will send them back home. So begins a scavenger hunt for some of the most recognizable symbols and characters in fantasy lore: Cinderella’s glass slippers, a lock of hair from Rapunzel, tree bark from Little Red Riding Hood’s basket, etc. Golden Globe–winner Colfer writes for an audience that will likely include plenty of teen readers (i.e., fans of Glee), and generally they will not be disappointed by the giddy earnestness of the writing, cut with a hint of melancholy. Dorman's evocative spot illustrations kick off each chapter.Two offerings from the popular "I Survived Series" recommended by our students: (Historical Fiction)
The Japanese Tsunami (2011) or The Nazi Invasion (2014) or The San Francisco Earthquake 1906